Love Anew
by Inukikbaby
Summary: A bitter war has been raging on between demons and humans, never seeming to end. However, two people of the opposite sides manage to fall in love with each other. Would this be enough to end the bloody conflict?
1. The Beginning of the End

A/N: Well, here's another story that I thought of. I do hope that this one will also be to your liking.

Although this fic will end as inu/kik, it will have some or maybe more moments where Kikyou and some other dude get together in a romantic way. I already decided who this guy will be but I want to know your opinion. Who do you think should the guy be?

Disclaimer: Actually, I'm glad that I don't own Inuyasha because then, I'd also be owning Kagome and Naraku/Onigumo.

* * *

It was the year of 1659. The land was ravished with bloodshed caused by war. A lot of innocent people lost their lives because of it. 

The land was once peaceful, ruled by a kind and generous king. He was determined to unite demons and humans so that they can live in harmony. Being a hanyou himself, he managed to persuade both parties to tolerate each other. Yes, it was a happy time indeed.

However, there were two people who thought it was a sin for a human and a demon to live together in peace. One was a human by the name of Onigumo while the other was a demon by the name of Naraku. And so, putting up a truce, they devised a plan to 'save' their own kind from ruin. The plan was a success.

The king was supposed to leave his kingdom to visit another land. He never made it, at least to the eyes of the demons. Onigumo made sure that the king was killed by assassinating the guy himself and having a demon witness it. That demon was Naraku and so he told the other demons that humans were responsible for murdering their beloved king. Sadly, the demons bought the accusations.

From then on, demons started to butcher the humans, even their human husbands, wives, and children. Hanyous were no exceptions. Rage can really cloud one's judgment for no single demon questioned whether the allegation was even true.

The humans finally had enough of having their kind being killed and so stood up against their former brethrens. They were lead by Onigumo. From then on, no place was ever safe for war was everywhere: south, north, east, and west.

The year is now 2159, 500 years after that dreadful day. Unfortunately, the fighting has still not recede and continues on. The difference is that there are now two major armies of the opposite sides.

The Western Army is led by a powerful dog demon by the name of Sesshoumaru Aruka along with his short-tempered half-brother Inuyasha. This army had five powerful generals: Naraku Gonu, Kouga Maruha, Inuyasha Aruka, Kagura Gonu, and Shippou Kitsune. And of course, the army is made out of demons who hunger for human blood.

The Eastern Army is just the opposite. Instead of just having one leader, the army is divided into regions: the Mayama region, the Fushima region, the Atama region, the Tatsuya region, the Wakari region, and the Kajin region. Each region is ruled by six humans: Kikyou Miko, Kagome Rashi, Rin Matawa, Miroku Boshou, Sango Yota, and Kohaku Yota.

The two armies are a matched for each other. Neither side can outwit each other. Soon, however, fate would forever change when two certain individuals of the opposite side fall for one another.

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A/N: That's the prologue. VERY short. So what do you think so far? Hope you'll R&R! 


	2. The Planning

A/N: Here's chapter two. Enjoy reading it!

Disclaimer: I am not Rumiko Takahashi therefore I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

A battle was brewing on a defenseless town. Actually, it was more of a homicide for the battle had won before it even began. The demons held no mercy whatsoever on their enemy. 

"Fascinating. To think that these pathetic humans can go against him. I wonder where the reinforcements are…?" A mysterious woman was overlooking the massacre from a cliff. She had on a very satisfying smirk.

"My lady, I have a message for you." A lesser demon came out of the bamboo trees that was behind the woman. She didn't turn around to face the messenger. "What is it?" "Our scouts were successful in intervening the reinforcements. There will be none coming."

"Excellent. His lordship will be most pleased. Proceed with the plan after this purging is done." "But shouldn't we wait for Lord Naraku's signal?" The woman stiffened and then turned around to look at the unfortunate youkai. "I could care less about him. He's not going to order me around. I just want to end this war with his Excellency being a victor. Got that?"

"O-Of course, my lady. Forgive me for my insolence." "Hmph. You are dismiss." The cowering youkai bowed and then hurriedly left the woman's side. The female then went back looking at the town. 'Soon, this land will be overrun by demons. Soon, he will emerge victorious. Soon, I will be queen ruling together at his side.'

The laugh that came after went through the town, chilling even the most blood-thirsty demons and making the humans that survived the attack fall in deep slumber, never to again wake up.

* * *

"Lady Kikyou, we have bad news. The town of Yun was attacked by the enemy. There were no survivors." 

A dark-haired, brown-eyed woman wearing a flowered kimono was enjoying her quiet time in the garden sipping tea when she was interrupted. She narrowed her eyes and looked at the envoy. "I would appreciate it if you'd knock first rather than just barging in."

"Pardon me for my rudeness, ma'am." "As for that news you brought, didn't Kagome send reinforcements to that town? They would have certainly parried off the attack."

"Lady Kagome DID send them. However, magic prevented them from coming close to the town. Instead, they were transported back to Relante." 'Magic?' Kikyou was deep in thought before speaking.

"Do you know who led those demons?" "Well, a surviving spy confirmed that it was a demoness with crimson eyes and black hair tied in a bun. She was also seen holding a fan."

Kikyou's eyes widened. "Kagura!" she hissed the name with such contempt. The messenger was completely taken back for Kikyou was known to show little or no emotion except for the presence of children. "What's the matter, my lady?"

Kikyou quickly recovered her composure and grimly replied. "Never mind that. There are more important matters to attend to. Did you notify the others?"

"Hai, of course. They'll be coming for the meeting." "Good. You may now go." Saluting his superior, the man left, leaving the woman alone to herself again.

'I can't believe that witch made her move that quickly. Don't tell me he ordered her to do it. What could he possibly be thinking…?' Her eyes softened. "Sesshoumaru…" Kikyou sighed and then left her haven, getting ready for a battle that would change her life for better or for worse.

* * *

"Inuyasha, it's time." The younger brother was not, to say the least, pleased that he was to fight some measly human rather than just take the whole land in one fell swoop. That and because he was ordered by his despicable brother nonetheless. 

"Keh! Why do I have to follow your orders?" It was a huge mistake for Inuyasha to ask for he was suddenly thrown up on the concrete wall, a strong, clawed hand gripping his neck.

"Don't ever question me, little brother. Otherwise you might find yourself headless." "Fine" was the only word Inuyasha could say. Sesshoumaru dropped him, leaving a coughing Inuyasha on the floor.

The older youkai glared at the hanyou. "Your lucky that you have father's blood in you. You would have been shredded to mincemeat by now." Inuyasha kept quiet.

"Now, I expect you to be at the battlefield. It's time for you to show us what you are capable of doing with that sword of yours. Don't fail me."

Knowing full well that Sesshoumaru wanted him to leave, Inuyasha had no choice but to comply. He didn't notice a shadow slid under the door, entering the room.

"You know well as I do that he won't win, Sesshoumaru. Especially if this battle will be involving that woman." The shadow seemed to talk to the leader without fear in its voice.

Sesshoumaru didn't even bother to look at his new visitor. Instead, he gazed outside of the window, his eyes unreadable. "You're right. He will lose no matter what. The Tetsusaiga isn't going to help him now."

"So why?" A long silence engulfed the room, making the dog demon slightly annoyed. He finally relented at looking at the shadow and answered the questionwith ablank expression

"It is for the best. For me and the whole entire race."

* * *

A/N: Ever wonder what he meant by that? The answers not quite obvious. You'll just have to keep reading on.


	3. The Battle

A/N: You'll have to be patient with me. I am only allowed to update on non-school days. Parents can be so evil. But anyways, here's chapter 3. Enjoy!

Warning: There is blood content in this chapter. Not much that the rating will need to go up but…

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

The Mayama region was a territory of luscious meadow, never having wilted grass and flowers. It was unfortunate that a skirmish could end such purity. 

"Damn it! How did it come to this?"

Inuyasha was covered in blood, blood from both youkai and ningen alike. It was plain to see that he was losing the battle badly.

"WIND SCAR!"

The attack hit their targets right on. However, they were like pests, always coming back, replacing the dead ones. It didn't help that his army was reduced to less than half of its original size.

"It's no use, Master Inuyasha. The enemy is too great for you to handle. We need to retreat and fast."

Inuyasha's advisor was an old flea demon, no smaller than the head of a pin needle. He perched himself on top of the hanyou's left shoulder, looking anxious of something.

"Forget it, Myouga. I'm no coward. I'm not about to lower myself to your level. Just how did you even manage to be named as one of the most brilliant strategist in the world anyway? That's just stupid." Inuyasha arrogantly said before slashing down a charging opponent.

"For your information, your father, the late Lord Inutaishou, was the one who named me that title. Also, running away from a tight spot happens to be a strategy. As the saying goes, "I'd rather run away like a coward than die like a hero"." Myouga huffed at the disrespect Inuyasha was giving him.

"Don't be such a wimp, old man. You're a demon so you shouldn't have any problems dealing with these weaklings. Just what are you afraid of?"

'What a foolish child. But it's understandable, considering that he doesn't even know what she is capable of doing to our kind. It will take more than words for me to ever fight them, Master Inuyasha.' "Weaklings, huh? If that's true, how did our army dwindle so fast?" He muttered quietly to himself so that his companion won't hear what he just said.

"Argh! Can't you humans ever stop substituting for your dead comrades? It's getting quite annoying, ya know." Inuyasha was about to use his Backslash Wave, which would make the already bloody field even more bloodier, when a purifying arrow came and hit the Tetsusaiga. Not only did it stop the attack, it also deformed the sword into its rather rugged and smaller form.

Inuyasha frowned at what just happened although there was also surprise evident in his eyes. "What the—? How…?" He tried to pinpoint where the arrow had came from. What he saw shocked him. He didn't notice that his foes had stopped attacking him and were on their knees, bowing.

There stood a woman clothed in miko garment. From the way her stance looked like and her bow pointing at him, it was obvious that she was the one who shot the arrow.

"So, you're responsible for starting this useless fighting. How unforgivable." The woman said in an icy tone. "I don't know what your purpose is for doing such a thing but I won't let you advance any longer."

"Are you crazy? There is no way I'm going to surrender to the likes of you! Right, Myouga?" Inuyasha turned to look at the small demon but he was nowhere in sight. The old flea had finally gave in to his instincts and ran away. Inuyasha returned his gaze to the woman.

"Either you are an idiot or an ignorant fool. Take a look around you. You're the only one left, hanyou." She raised an eyebrow, anticipating for an answer. She looked amused.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha finally took his eyes off the woman and gazed at his surroundings. The place was filled with bodies from both parties. Inuyasha was indeed alone, not seeing any of his living comrades.

"So, what shall it be, hanyou?" The woman then took out three arrows from its case and placed it on the bow, getting ready to shoot. "Surrender or die. Pick your choice, hanyou."

"Hanyou, hanyou, hanyou. Stop calling me that, wench! You'll pay for that!" Inuyasha was now ticked off, having been humiliated by this female. He didn't tolerate such things and did the only option he had: attack.

Unfortunately, before he could even move another step, the woman released all three arrows. They struck their intended target accurately.

Two of the arrows pierced on each of Inuyasha's legs while the other one landed on his chest, a little bit above of his beating heart. Blood seeped through his clothing, making the Fire Rat haori redder.

Inuyasha had no choice but to slouch down, weakened by the loss of blood. He tried to take out the arrows but to no avail. Every second that ticked by, he was slowly falling to unconsciousness.

'Curses! This isn't possible. There is no way I can be beaten, especially to a woman! Is this the end for me…?' He had to cover his mouth for he was coughing up blood. When the coughing subsided, he glared at the woman with anger and hatred in his eyes.

"You may have won this battle, wench, but you have yet to win the war. I'll have my revenge one way or another. You'll be…the first…to…die…" His vision became blurry and with one last look, succumbed to the darkness.

* * *

"I knew it. That mutt can't do anything useful, even in battle. No wonder he lost." 

There were three people in the slightly darkened room, each of them sitting on the floor. The one who spoke was a wolf demon whose face was plastered in a wide grin.

"Stuff it, Maruha. The woman he fought with was just too powerful for him. There was no way he could have won. So, just flushed that stupid grin of yours. It's not fitting."

This time, it was a spider demon that spoke defensively of Inuyasha. It was rather odd for it was known that he had a dislike for the hanyou.

"Hmph. Whatever, Naraku. I'm just glad that I won't have to see his face for a very long time. I mean, look at him! He's probably dead, with all the blood on him."

The two demons were both looking at a mirror that a pale girl was holding. The mirror was like a crystal ball, showing Inuyasha's downfall against the enemy.

"Say, why do you think Sesshoumaru ordered us to not help that dog-breath? Is the family tension that high? He could have easily killed that half-breed himself…"

Naraku looked at the wolf demon like he grew two heads and then back to the mirror. "No, I don't think that the lord's main purpose was for Inuyasha to go battle with the enemy just for him to get beaten up. It has to be more than that." He looked at the mirror closely and this time, hewasn't looking at Inuyasha.

'I wonder…oh, well. Time will only tell. And I definitely have the patience to wait.'

* * *

The woman walked towards the unmoving body, kicking it softly. 'Stubborn. He's still alive.' 

A soldier came to her, a spear in hand. "My lady, we have confirmed that he is Inuyasha Aruka, younger half-brother of Sesshoumaru Aruka. Should we kill him once and for all?"

"No. He's good alive than dead. I want him captured and bring him to the palace. The others will figure out what to do with him."

"As you wish. Also, another thing." The soldier then took out a holed match box from his pocket. He opened it and inside was a meditating Myouga. "I captured him before he could escape and get reinforcement."

The woman remained expressionless although she looked less hostile. "It has been a while since we last met, Myouga."

The flea opened his eyes, immediately recognizing the voice. He looked up from his imprisonment with dazed eyes.

"Indeed. How have you been, Kikyou?"

* * *

A/N: That's the end for this chapter. See you in the next chappie! And thanks for the reviews.

lady everest: i take it that you're a sesshoumaru hater? hehehe. anyways, i'll think about wat you're requesting for me to do. maybe i will, maybe i won't. you'll just have to see.

DarkPriestessKikyo: confusing huh? i probably should have made this story into a mystery instead. don't worry, it will get less confusing as the story goes on.

Anime Freak Girl: thanks for reviewing and im glad that ur liking this.

Cold Kikyo: me grateful of you reviewing every chapter of my story so me give u big thanks!

Aysiahime: actually, it will take a while before our favorite couple get together so u'll have to be patient. thanks for ur review!

Yukimi the Ice Goddess: Thanks for mentioning the errors i made. even more for the comments on what i should do to make this story better. hopefully, this chapter was long enough for u.


	4. In Enemy Territory

A/N: wow. i update so slow...pls don't kill me. at least not yet anyways…

Disclaimer: I still don't have the rights to claim Inuyasha(the show).

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When Inuyasha woke up from his long overdue hangover, he found himself in a mechanized prison cell. There were no prison bars whatsoever and instead a solid wall replaced it. The floor was really shiny, like it was polished 100 times and even more. Both the ceiling and walls were made of silver steel. From the looks of it, the cell was obviously made to keep a savage animal in. 

"What the heck is this place? Where in the world am I?" He looked around his surrounding, wondering how was he able to breath considering that there was no cracks anywhere where air can get in.

Suddenly, an image of a young woman appeared on one of the walls. It showed her waste up. She looked a bit like Kikyou except for the fact that she had a warmer atmosphere around her, styled her hair in a high ponytail, and the fact that she wore eye shadow. She was wearing a white t-shirt with the words '**Perverted** **Monks Shouldn't Be Born With Hands **' written on it.

"Oh good. You're finally awake. You caused quite a commotion when you didn't wake up for a week. I'm glad you snapped out of your coma." she said with relief in her voice.

"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha scowled, not at all trustful of the woman. After all, she was one of THEM, which of course connected her to the woman that almost killed him.

The defeat came constantly in his sleep, torturing him again and again. It was only when, rather than being defeated, he got killed which actually made him wake up from the nightmare. That was a few hours ago.

"The name's Sango. Pleased to meet you. I can see that you don't have much social skills, Inuyasha." she said, emphasizing on the name. Sango waited for a reaction, knowing full well that the hanyou will question as to how she knew his name.

"So, does one of your hobbies involve stalking unaware guys? You don't look like someone who would do such things." Sensing that the woman was of no threat to him yet, the hanyou seized the opportunity to try to "charm" her. He was sure that it would be much easier escaping the dump with the help of someone who knew the place inside and out.

"My, my, my. Aren't you a charming fellow. But no, I have not nor will stalk a guy. I think it's just a waste of time. Unlike a certain someone…" Before she could finish, a voice interrupted her and it wasn't Inuyasha.

"If Kikyou ever found out that you were flirting with one of the prisoners, she'll get your head Sango."

The new visitor made her appearance through the imager. She was a bit younger than both Kikyou and Sango. She had long, wavy, black hair and deep green eyes. Her outfit was like of a scientist garment. When she took a look at Inuyasha, something flickered in her eyes.

"Oh my gosh. Is that him! He is soooooo cute! Especially those ears. I wanna touch them!" The girl practically yelled, numbing Sango's poor ears.

"Kagome…" Sango growled and then bop her companion on the head. "Will you be quiet? Someone might hear us!" she hissed.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Kagome whispered, looking embarrassed. "But I couldn't help it. He is just so fine."

Sango rolled her eyes and sighed. "What is your reason for being here, Kagome? Don't you have other things to do other than comment guys on their looks?"

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot. It's just that The Four Elders wants to see us. That and because Miroku was looking for you. He asked me to find you and bring you to him. And I knew exactly where you were going to be: the prison. Of course, I didn't tell him that. You would probably going to kill me if I did." Kagome nervously laughed.

"….." Sango had the looks of a killer who would destroy everything on her path especially a certain monk. Her mouth turned into a wicked smile. "Kagome, tell him this message: If he ever comes near me, I'll rip him limb to limb until the only thing left is his guts which I would feed it to the crows."

"O-okay, Sango." Kagome sweatdropped, wondering what Miroku had done this time to make Sango so evilly angry.

Unfortunately, both females had forgotten their special guest. Inuyasha was frustrated. One was that he was being ignored completely and two was that his plan of escape went down the drain. 'What the heck are they blabbling about? Oh, well. Not my problem. I should say something before that Sango destroys everything…' "Oi, you two. You gonna ignore me for good or what?"

Sango immediately switched from angry mode to calm mode. Mortified that she showed her emotions to a complete stranger. She hurriedly tried to cover it up with a smile. "Oh, Inuyasha. Forgot that you were there for a minute. Sorry about that."

The hanyou and Kagome were surprised that Sango was apologizing, to an enemy no less. 'What in the world is going on? Why is she apologizing?' Inuaysha thought.

Silence took over before Kagome decided to crash it. "Um, Sango? We better leave now. The Four Elders are expecting us."

"…very well. Inuyasha, take care." The older onna gave one last look before closing down the contact between her and the unfortunate prisoner, leaving Inuyasha alone to himself. Or so he thought.

It was only a few minutes that ticked by when Inuyasha felt someone or something crawl on his neck. He slapped his neck out of reflex. On his hand was a flattened Myouga.

"Myouga! What are you doing here? I thought you escaped?" He tried to hide the fact that he was glad to see a familiar face.

"Hello to you too, Master Inuyasha. Unfortunately, I was also captured. It seems I overestimated Kikyou and her army. I clearly paid the price." the old flea solemnly said.

'Kikyou? Isn't that the name that girl said minutes ago?' "Hey, you old coot. How would you know what that woman's name is?" The hanyou asked suspiciously.

"Wh-whatever do you mean, Master Inuyasha? I-I know no such person." Myouga stuttered. He was nervous but of what?

"You just said it, you baka! Now, spill. You stutter when you lie so out with it!" Inuyasha soon regretted that he was ever glad that the old man was with him, thinking that he would live out his miserable life with a lying idiot.

When the flea refused to say anything, Inuyasha had to use all of his energy to keep from killing the older demon for real. "If you won't tell me, maybe you would prefer to be eaten instead? Cause I'm pretty hungry right now…" said Inuyasha in a deadly calm voice. His grumbling stomach proved it very well.

Myouga was rather traumatic when he heard those sentences. He knew that there was no other way to avoid the topic. He decided to tell the half-demon in fear of his life.

"Alright then. I'll tell you. Yes, I have known Kikyou for years now. Even before you arrived to the capital." The youkai began.

"Ok, so you knew that wench for more than five years? You do know that communicating with a human is forbidden, don't you? If the others knew about that, they would surely kill you."

"You don't understand, Master Inuyasha. You see, Kikyou was special. She was different from her human kind. My respect for her will never change."

Inuyasha was dumbfounded to hear such nice words going to a human. "Special? How is that you are here imprison make her so special?"

"The reason she was special was that not only she has the same level of power as Lord Sessoumaru but also because she had a relationship with him." Myouga said. Inuyasha was too shocked to say anything this time around.

"It all started 10 years ago…"

* * *

A thick forest that stretched across the horizon surrounded Regaian, capital city of the Mayama region. The place was usually lively, full of chirping birds, wolves quarrelling for food, and the occasionally splash or two from jumping fishes in the nearby lake. This time, however, all was quiet. Even the blowing wind disappeared without a trace.

A shadow portal revealed itself in the forest, just miles away from the city. A cloaked figure came out, a huge sword in one hand while a strange-looking skull sat on the palm of the other hand.

"We are now near the city, sir. Should I surprise them with an attack?" A deep voice came out from the figure, revealing that this person is a man. He seemed to talk to the skull.

"No. Not yet anyways. We wait until that day finally comes. Is that understandable?" a raspy voice replied. The skull was alive somehow, seeing that its jaw was moving up and down. The eyes glowed red when the thing talked, otherwise it was plain black.

"Of course. Your wish is my command. Although, waiting a bit longer isn't my thing. I would have to kill something else to satisfy my thirst of blood." The figure raised his hand with the sword and pulled back the hood. A smirk was placed on his familiar face.

"I have no objection to that. Go ahead and kill as many humans and demons that comes in your way. Just don't go overboard that the people of that city have to sniff you out." The skull chuckled a cold and evil laugh, making his companion wince.

"You're the only one I can count on. Make me proud, Bankotsu."

* * *

A/N: oh yeah, more unknown and evil characters revealed. Yes, bankotsu and his boss aren't in the league with the humans or the demons. And yes, there is going to be more bad guys later so that you guys will have to something to think about on who really is pulling the strings. Anyways, before i forget, i would like everyone to know that who bothered to read my other fic will have to wait until i finish this story to update. i just found that writing two fics at the same time is a lot of work so i decided to hold on that other story. sorry about that. 

im not going to a kagome website so that i can find wat her eye color is so im making her wear green eye contacts. if anyone knows the color of her eyes, tell me ok? thanks.


	5. A Forgotten Past

A/N: This is the extended version of the original chapter. Basically, this chapter is much more longer than the other chapters and was supposed to be finished last week. I've decided to make it longer since you guys certainly deserve it. So sorry for the extended delay. Enjoy!

Warning: Mentions of blood and a major ooc of a character and did I mention blood?

Disclaimer: IDNOIFTMT!(This will be the last time I'm saying it too.)

_Italics-_flashback/story though not technically in it if you know what I mean/whatever you call the past in normal pov

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"The lord of the demons back then was a powerful inu-youkai named Inutaishou. He may have been powerful but he was unlike from most of his comrades. For instance, he wasn't fond of the endless war between us demons and the humans. His wish for a peaceful time where both races accepted each other for who they are burned in his mind and heart. I do believe that the wish went even deeper when he met and fell in love with the Lady Izayoi who was apparently destined to bear his second child…" 

"_I'm sorry for this, Izayoi. But the castle is no longer safe for you and our son. There are others who disapprove of our relationship. I can't risk losing the both of you. This place will serve as protection until I can somehow convince those who oppose our goals to change their minds. Don't worry, I---" A slender finger on his lips stopped the demon from finishing what he was going to say._

"_Shhh. It's alright. I understand, my Lord. You not need say anymore." The soft, calm voice came from the man's female companion. She was a beautiful woman with fair skin, long black silky hair, and brown eyes. She smiled lovingly at him and took hold of his cheeks with her hands. "Just promise me that you'll be careful out there. I don't ever want to lose you."_

_Inutaishou's eyes softened considerably at hearing the caring words his lover had said, the same person who unintentionally took his heart away years ago. "Izayoi…" he whispered._

_The woman then gently snatched her hands away from him and placed them on her lap. She had a serious expression on her face. "By the way, how was your meeting with Midoriko? I take it that all went well as planned?"_

_The youkai also had a serious expression plastered on his handsome face. "Well, about that---" he started. Alas, he was interrupted again except this time, the person was a lot smaller and younger._

"_Papa! You're back!" A hanyou child wearing a red haori came running to the room, carrying a red ball. Wearing a big smile, he jumped towards his father's arms, wrapping his small arms around the man's waist. Both of the child's parents were surprised at the unexpected visitor but the expression quickly dissipated and replaced by amusement. _

"_And how is my youngest son doing, hmm? I hope that you haven't been a trouble to your mother, now were you?" chuckled Inutaishou. _

"_Of course not! I was good all day. I'm not an Aruka child for nothing you know, papa." replied the child whose smile turned a bit upside down. He then let go of the man and turned to look at his mother. "Isn't that right mama? I was good today wasn't I?"_

_Izayoi could not help but smile even more at her son. 'I'm lucky to have such a child. If only he could accept us…' The last thought made her smile falter slightly, knowing that the first son hated her and Inuyasha with passion. She wondered if her attempts at reconciling was even worth it. Her thoughts were cut short when the sound of a horn was heard._

_Inutaishou stood up suddenly, surprising both the woman and son. He looked at the two, his face solemn for some reason. "I…have to go. It seems one of my men has captured some menace that has been on my case of late. You two stay here in case one of them escapes." Without another word, the inu-youkai quickly left the estate never knowing that assassins would come and destroy his family for good.

* * *

_

_The sky had turned to night and stars were twinkling when the lord got to the designated spot. A wooden storage stood a few feet away with only one door as its way in and out. Inside were groups of people both human and demon all tied up and gagged. All were of important status._

"_Ah, Lord Inutaishou. Glad you could make it. Ready for the upcoming event? After all, once this is finished, your dream will be finally fulfilled." Out of the surrounding trees came out another demon whose eyes could match the color of hot, bubbling lava. He had long black hair that didn't quite reach his waist. His clothing consisted of dark blue hakama pants, black haori over a white gi, and a pair of sandals snuggled by a pair of sock-fitted feet. Four different swords clung to the side._

"_Naraku." grimaced Inutaishou though he hid it very well. There was something about the spider demon that made the lord wary and suspicious. Nonetheless, the man was a powerful asset and a blow to the army if he was to be "disposed" of. 'Heh. Once this fiesta is over, I'll make sure this guy is the first to go. For now though...' He looked at Naraku for a few seconds before turning his gaze to the storage. "I take it that they are all in there?"_

"_Yes. Fortunately, we were able to get all of those who dare oppose you without much difficulty. Why don't you check on them? After all, this will be the last time you're going to see your former comrade-in-arms." Naraku said with a smirk. His cold eyes followed every move his superior made like a spider watching its prey before pouncing._

_Wanting to escape the uncomfortable gaze directed at him, Inutaishou walked towards the shelter and without looking back, let himself in with the door closed behind him. When he was able to adjust his eyes to the dark, he was rendered speechless at what he saw. 'Tsk. It seems Naraku and his men did more than just abduct these fools.' Indeed, the prisoners were badly beaten up, their clothes torn, and some even had blood rolling down the sides of their head. He had a hard time telling which one was who since their faces were like mush. If the site didn't made him cringed with disgust, the smell would have done its job perfectly. The place smelled like things considered disgusting blended together and splattered all over the storage. It was too much for Inutaishou's nose to bear and quickly left outside, slamming the door shut. He turned and walked towards Naraku, ignoring the fact that they were no longer alone. "Burn the place down." he said in a cold voice._

_Creating a fireball, Naraku nodded before throwing the element to its target. The attack was followed right after another made by the nearing demons. In seconds, the storage was set ablaze, making a bonfire except it was much bigger. The flames reflected through Inutaishou's eyes. The thought that the victims would change their opinions never once crossed his mind. _

* * *

"_Mama! Please wake up! Don't leave me here!" Tears flowed continually on Inuyasha's face. He was shaking a body that once belonged to a living Izayoi. There was a hole in the abdomen, blood staining the clothes. They were in the kitchen having only a lamp as light. The boy was clueless as to his mother's condition, panic shrouding his mind to think clearly. Just as he was about to get up and leave the place to finally get some help, a shadow loomed over him halting his actions. _

"_Well, well, well. Look who we have here. Hey, Garudo! Get your butt over here! It seems we have a survivor." He was tall, wearing a black rugged cloak that covered him except for the head. A cat demon to be sure for he had fur, cat ears, whiskers, and two sharp little fangs that showed along with his smirk. His red slit eyes didn't wander from Inuyasha, unblinking. His shouting summoned another cat demon whose appearance truly shocked and frightened the hanyou more than the first. _

_Garudo had blood all over him from head to toe. The only color that stood out were the color of his eyes, which was blue. On his right hand was a scythe dripping fresh blood indicating that the weapon has just recently caught more than one prey. On the left hand was a beating heart. Fingers slowly curled around the thing and with a small 'squish', the main organ quickly disintegrated, leaving loads of blood in its place. "What is it that you want now, Asiago? Didn't you see I was busy eating!" he growled before gulping down the remaining pieces of the heart. _

_Turning around, Asiago's face changed from amused to disturbed. "Your lust for blood is rather disgusting. You don't want to scare the little kid more than he needs to. I don't get how you can eat the hearts of those humans either." He said while shaking his head in disapproval._

"_Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like you haven't told me for the 50th time. But I can't help it. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil. You should try it for once. Eating them I mean. They are such a delicacy, delicious even."_

_Asiago snorted, feeling a bit queasy after hearing such 'interesting' words his partner had just said. 'Great. Why did he made me team up with this baka? This work better be worth it. Though, I have to wonder…' "Hey Gurado. Have you ever tasted a half-breeds heart before?" he asked, looking back at the now unconscious child. His smile didn't reach his eyes._

"_Hmm? No, not really. Actually, I've never met one until today. Why?"_

"_Cause you are about to get one!" With a hiss, he revealed his two hands from the cloak, each wielding a sword. Without hesitating, he immediately let the swords come crashing down to its intended target. Unfortunately, the edges didn't even swipe one single hair from Inuyasha. _

_The weapons stopped midair, about a foot away from the victim. Asiago's eyes widened in shock and started to convulse. Blood seeped out from the mouth and nose and with a strangled cry fell down on the floor along with the swords. His head was no longer part of his body._

"_What the he--" Gurado was unable to finish for he had a sword in his chest piercing his heart. The sword slid out, making the remaining neko youkai fall down dead._

"_Hmph. Fools. They should have learned better than to mess with this family." The new visitor scanned the bloody place until his eyes stopped on the bodies of Izayoi and Inuyasha. His eyes narrowed. 'Damn it. It seems I was too late.'_

_He walked towards them sheathing his sword on the way. Once there, he crouched down trying to sniff out any life. The only thing he could smell and hear was the salty tears and the sound of Inuyasha breathing. For a moment, the warrior showed concern and relief knowing that there was one alive in the madness before putting his cold mask back on. "Inuyasha, wake up. It's me Sesshoumaru." he said in a rather loud voice._

_The kid woke up slowly, trying to not look at his mother. He was still in shock and wished for it to be all a nightmare. "B-big b-brother? Is that really you?" Without so much of a warning, he rushed towards his brother's side, clutching Sesshoumaru's clothing in a tight grip surprising the inu youkai greatly. "It's all my fault. I couldn't stop them. I…They just appeared and started slaughtering everyone. The servants, the guards, mama…everyone. They all died to protect me. I…I…" Inuyasha whispered, almost on the verge of crying again. _

_It took a while for Sesshoumaru to get over his stunned expression but when he did, he looked at his half-brother and patted his head. "Shhh. It's alright Inuyasha. No one's blaming you. It's not your fault. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And besides, you weren't good enough with a weapon to fend them off. Now, why don't we leave this place for the moment? We'll be back after you've cleaned up so that we can bury your mother and the others properly. Deal?" The hanyou's only answer was a small nod. _

_The older youkai stood up while picking up the younger Aruka, carrying him outside. He whistled and out of the woods came a two-headed beast-a dragon maybe?-who immediately ran towards its master. Sesshoumaru placed Inuyasha on the creature's back, making sure the child was secured. "Make sure that he gets to the castle safely. Do not let anything or anyone lay a finger on him. Do what you must to protect him. Understand? Now go. I have other matters to attend to." he commanded. The two heads made a soft growl before flying off and disappearing through the cloudy sky._

_Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru had already moved on, treading along inside the forest. His thoughts kept him from getting too aware at his quiet surrounding. 'You made the biggest mistake you ever made, father. Because of your carelessness, your fiancé is dead while your second child just had the most traumatic moment of his life. You should have taken the warning seriously. Now you'll have to pay the price dearly. At least this stupid war is going to be over soon. With no opposition, father can finally reunite the land. Future generations will no longer have to witness such horrible bloodshed.'_

_For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru would be proven wrong in later years. Proven horribly wrong by his own hands._

_**Three years later**_

_11-year old Inuyasha came rushing forward, the Tetsusaiga in hand, towards a patiently waiting Sesshoumaru. Without so much of an effort, Sessoumaru blocked the attack with his Toukijin, sending Inuyasha crashing back._

"_Come now, little brother. Surely you can do better than that. After all, we've been practicing for a year and five months. Let's try again. This time, give it all you've got." _

_Inuyasha stood right back up, disregarding the little fact that there was no way he can match the strength of his more experienced onii-sama. "H-hai. All right then. Here I come, Sesshoumaru!" Shouting a war cry, Inuyasha once again rushed towards his opponent but this time, he jumped just 10 feet away from Sesshoumaru and showering him with a series of powerful sword attacks. It would have seemed that Sesshoumaru had managed to dodge all of the attacks but a cut on his left cheek proved it otherwise. He was astounded but pleased at the same time._

"_I'm impressed, Inuyasha. You've finally managed to hit me. Father will be pleased to know. Keep it up and maybe you'll beat me one day."_

"_You think so, big brother? Awesome! Then I will definitely try my hardest and practice more so that I can learn those techniques papa said about." _

_The two stopped talking when they noticed a green toad demon with bulging eyes come in through the training grounds. He carried a staff with two heads that consisted of an old man and a woman. He called out to the two occupants. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Your father wishes for you and Inuyasha to go to the meeting room immediately." He bowed before turning to leave._

'_I wonder what father wants with us. It must be something for him to summon us.' With a shrug, Sesshoumaru left the grounds to his destination, a confused Inuyasha trailing behind him._

_When they got to the room, Sesshoumaru instantly became aware of the fact that Inutaishou was not alone. _

_The lord of the western lands looked up and saw that his sons had arrived. "Ah, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha. You're finally here. Come, I want the two of you to meet someone."_

_With reluctance, the two brothers walked towards their father and kneeled beside him facing their two visitors. Sesshoumaru chose to observe the two closely. Both were clearly humans. One was a full-grown woman who had long dark hair and brown eyes. She was about 28 years of age. She wore a miko robe on the inside while an armor covered the upper part of her body and shoulders. Beside her was a little girl, about the same age as Inuyasha. She also had brown eyes, black hair, and wore a matching outfit with the exception of the armor. One would think that they were mother and daughter._

_Inutaishou continued on speaking. "Boys, meet Midoriko and her daughter Kikyou---"_

"Adopted daughter you mean. Plaintively speaking, I'm not her birth mother. Please do not make the same mistake again, Inutaishou." Midoriko interrupted in a sharp voice.

_Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at such tone while Inuyasha just stared at Kikyou, fascinated for some reason._

"_O-of course. It seems old age is getting to me. My mistake." Inutaishou sweat dropped. "But anyways, as I said before, the woman to the left is Midoriko while the girl to the right is Kikyou. Ladies, these are my two sons as you already know from earlier." He first pointed at Sesshoumaru. "This is my eldest son Sesshoumaru while the other one is Inuyasha who is happening to be gawking at Kikyou by the moment for who knows why. Sesshoumaru, will you please snap your brother out of his reverie? Our little friend seems to be… uncomfortable."_

_The younger Kikyou was indeed embarrassed and had her face looking down at the floor, her cheeks blushing. Inutaishou was the only one who noticed and was amused by it. Unfortunately, this led to a 'sinister' idea from the adult._

_Sesshoumaru nudged Inuyasha hard enough to wake him up. "Inuyasha, you do know that staring is rude, especially to a stranger. Please refrain from doing so in the future."_

_Inuyasha looked at his only two relatives with beady eyes. "B-but I can't help it. It's the first time I've seen a human girl." He looked back at Kikyou with a grin. "Plus, she's cute too."_

_Inutaishou could feel the tension around the room, particularly from Midoriko and…Sesshoumaru. 'I can understand Midoriko but Sesshoumaru? Impossible. Wonder what got him worked up. Better do something before someone gets hurt.' "Err, why don't the two of you give Kikyou a tour of the castle? Get to know each other. After all, she'll be staying here with us for a while."_

_Before Sesshoumaru could question or protest, Inuyasha immediately went towards Kikyou offering a hand. "Come on. I wanna show you something cool."_

_The girl looked up and the only thing she saw in the boy's eyes were determination and something else. She hesitated at first but then relented, seeing that he was never going to go away and give up. She nodded her head slowly. "Very well. If that will get you off my back." She placed her lithe hands on Inuyashas and stood up._

_The hanyou was confused on what she said but shrugged it off. Holding hands, he led the girl out of the room, past the many hallways, and finally outside where a beautiful garden laid. Sesshoumaru followed suit, his curiosity getting the better of him._

_Back at the meeting hall, its two occupants were quiet. Midoriko was the first to break the silence. "What are you thinking about Inutaishou?"_

_The male suddenly grinned, making the woman slightly suspicious. " Oh, nothing much. I was just visioning something that will most likely to happen in the near future. A wedding for a certain couple to be exact…"_

* * *

"_Wow. This place is so beautiful. I've never seen such fine scenery before." It was true. The garden was huge and magnificent, colorful like a painting. There were at least five sakura trees, its flowers blossoming for the expected season. A fountain was placed in the middle. Different variety of flowers such as daises, carnations, roses, and daffodils surrounded the fountain and most of the place not including the two pathways that each led to a weeping willow. Kikyou frowned when she saw them. "Inuyasha-kun? How come there are two weeping willow trees out here? They usually don't go with these kind of gardens."_

_Something died in Inuyasha's eyes when he heard the question. He answered nonetheless. "Under each of those trees is a grave. Sesshoumaru's and my mom are buried there." They had already crossed part of the garden and nearing the fork in the pathway and the fountain._

"_Oh, I see. I'm sorry for your loss." Kikyou nodded in understanding before something clicked in her mind. There was a missing part in her companion's explanation. "What do you mean by Sesshoumaru's? It sounds as though the two of you have two different mothers."_

"_It's because we do, little girl. Inuyasha and I are half-brothers. You should have been able to sense our different auras. You ARE a miko, right?" Sesshoumaru came up from behind, his eyes questioning. The couple turned around, one looking surprised while the other looked annoyed._

"_For your information, Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm just an apprentice meaning I'm a miko-in-training. So don't expect me to be powerful and all." _

_Sesshoumaru eyes narrowed, a growl wanting to escape from the esophagus. 'How dare she…! This Sesshoumaru will not tolerate such disrespectfulness.' He continued to glare at Kikyou for a minute and then looked at Inuyasha, his expression changed completely to neutral. "Ah, Inuyasha. Why don't you give mother some new flowers? She'll like that I'm sure."_

_Inuyasha didn't know what to do when he saw his new friend and brother doing a staring contest, tension very high. But when the older youkai asked the question, he went from being nervous to happy. He kneeled down to pick some flowers making a bouquet. "Don't worry, big brother. I'll be sure to give your mother flowers too." With that, Inuaysha ran towards the eastern path where Izayoi was buried, leaving the other two alone._

_Sesshoumaru was about to talk to Kikyou about being disrespectful when she beat him to it, her face facing the direction Inuyasha ran to. "You know, you two are very lucky. At least you guys have a living father. And I bet that each of you got to know your mother very well before they died. I, on the other hand, had neither." she whispered in a sad voice._

"_I'm afraid you are mistaken, miko. It may be true for Inuyasha but my mother died giving birth to me so there was no way I was able to know her that well, much less meet her in person." he corrected, his anger gone. He wondered why._

_Kikyou turned to face him, her face clearly surprised. "Really? Huh, it seems we have one thing in common then. My mother also died giving birth to me. My father, in his state of depression for losing his wife, committed suicide leaving me behind. Thankfully, Lady Mikoriko chose to care for me like I'm one of her own. For that, I am in debt to her and so I began training to be a miko so that I may take her place one day without her having to look for a heir."_

"_And why would you want to share this little bit of information to me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow._

"_I have no idea. You look like someone who wouldn't dare tell any secrets to anyone though. You're the second person to ever know my past. Must be your lucky day."_

"_Not really. You shouldn't be too trusting of people especially to someone you barely know. It will surely get you in trouble big time."_

"_Aren't you too late to say that? Actually, I'm really not trusting of anyone at all. You're just…different for some reason. And since you already hold my trust so quick, I'm afraid you'll have to become my friend then. Refuse and I'll purify you." Kikyou warned. As if trying to enforce her advice, her hands suddenly glowed forming a color between purple and pink around them. _

_Sesshoumaru winced, feeling the girls' power. 'For a starter, her powers sure are something. Too bad they aren't enough to take me down. But I guess I'll play along." he smirked. "Very well. I'll accept your proposition."_

"_Great! Er, since we didn't start off right minutes ago, let' s do some introductions. I'm Kikyou, future leader of the eastern land. And you are…?" she started._

"_You may call me Sesshoumaru. Of course, calling me Lord Sesshoumaru would be most appropriate of you." _

"_Har, har, har. Very funny." Kikyou looked vexed but then smiled, impressed that the so-called cold inu youkai would manage to pull off a humor in his sentence._

_When Inuyasha came back from his "travels", he was shocked to see that his only brother and Kikyou talking, smiling, and even laughing with each other like they were old friends. 'Oh boy. I have a feeling that those two will have the strangest friendship as of now. After all, brother Sesshoumaru has never taken a liking to a girl before.'_

_Yes, it was the start of a beautiful friendship that will bloom into something more. As the months went by, Kikyou spent most of her time with Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found in the castle for he was sent someplace else to train. Or so they say…_

_Slowly but surely, attraction between the two was inevitable. Sesshoumaru's cold face started to melt away along with his frozen heart. He even went as far as being civil to other humans if only for the sake of the girl. Likewise, Kikyou started to smile more, her sadness and sorrow that once showed in her eyes disappearing. Although she was a miko now, her title didn't stop her from making new friends with demons. One such friend was a certain flea demon._

_Everyone who were aware of the relationship thought that the couple would quickly be engaged and married, seeing that the two were very close. It didn't matter that they were clearly too young to take such a huge step. Unfortunately, when Inutaishou chose to ask about the proposal, things went downhill from that day on._

* * *

"_Sesshoumaru, I believe it is time to discuss about your future as successor to my throne. Now, I've been hearing some rumors that you and Kikyou are more than just friends. Is this true?" Inutaishou asked._

"_Yes. I will not deny it."_

"_I see. Then, this will make things a little bit easier then. Do you know why Kikyou was sent to live with us in the first place? Well, its because so that she'll come to like either you or your brother and vice versa leading to a loving relationship which in turn would evolve to marriage. Take it as a matchmaking thing."_

"_What? You planned this all along? How could you play us like puppets on a string!" he demanded in an angry voice._

"_Please understand my son. Even though Midoriko and I agreed to be no longer enemies and signed a document as proof, we both believed that it wasn't enough to last this peace for good. There are still those who don't want this war to end though their numbers are pretty small. Nevertheless, this could lead to a rebellion. So, we decided to make the land as one by marrying her daughter to one of my two sons. This way, no one will be able to put up a resistance since their very own queen is a human. I have to admit, I was planning to make Inuyasha be the husband since you obviously had no interests in girls be it demon or human. But it seems I was wrong. Let's see, her age should be around 17 when you two get married."_

_Sesshoumaru suddenly stood up from his kneeling position, towering over the surprised Inutaishou. "No, father. There will be no wedding. I refuse to marry Kikyou."_

_Surprise turned to confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about? You love the girl so why in the world would you decline?"_

"_Have you already forgotten? Eight years ago, you introduced me to that man's daughter. I thought she was going to be like the other girls. I was wrong. She didn't cower over my presence but instead treated me like an equal. It would be the first time I come to like someone. By the end of five winters' night, I made a promise to her that I will marry her and no one else before she left. This Sesshoumaru will not break a promise, not even for love." he said with a bittersweet smile. He then turned and left, leaving a wide-eyed and speechless Inutaishou behind._

* * *

"_Forgive me, Kikyou. I do hope that those gossips aren't bothering you too much." They were sitting in a green field well away from the castle, having a picnic._

"_It's alright. Your love for me is enough." Kikyou said softy. Her eyes were on him before taking her eyes to the setting sun. "What was she like, Sesshoumaru?"_

_The male gave her a questioning look before answering. "She was a fire-spirited demoness. A rebellious girl, always wanting to do things her way. Very unpredictable like the wind itself. Believe it or not, she once insulted me for being beautiful."_

_Kikyou giggled, finding the last part funny. "You must have your huge ego crushed. I have to agree with her though. You really are much too beautiful to be a man. Have you…?"_

_Sesshoumaru's face was grim looking but answered calmly. "No, Kikyou. I've been me ever since I was born. So please don't take away my self-image. At least the remaining part anyways."_

"_Aww, come on. I was just joking. Lighten up. Knowing you, you will be needing it." she joked. _

"_This Sesshoumaru takes jokes very seriously. I have no time to lighten up since that is impossible for me or any other being in fact. A lamp wouldn't even fit in my head or stomach."_

_The girl sighed, being able to note that their conversation was going nowhere. "N-never mind, Sesshoumaru. Forget I even said that. We should be sticking to our original topic."_

"_Yes. Today will be your last day here since tomorrow you'll be going back to your hometown. It has only been ten months since you first arrived."_

"_Has it really been that long? I guess time does fly when you are having fun. Unfortunately, it will be a year before we get to see each other again. Augh, I hate this!" she explained, pouting._

_Sesshoumaru softly chuckled. "Don't worry Kikyou. Once you've come back, I'll make sure that I'll be the only one that you'll be spending your lifetime with." He held Kikyou's chin with his left thumb and index finger and slowly lifted her face closer to his. No more words were said._

_The next day, the two said their farewells and with a last hug, Kikyou left leaving a distraught Sesshoumaru. Unbeknownst to them, it will be the last time they will see each other with loving faces._

_**Eight months later**_

_It was night at the castle. A shadow of a person could be seen gliding around the halls and finally to a closed room. Silently and slowly, the person opened the door and shut it behind him/her. On the nearby bed was a sleeping Inutaishou. _

'_What a foolish youkai. He thinks that he can reunite the land so easily? Well, I'm afraid I'll have to prove him wrong.' With the skill of a ninja, he/she melted through the floor with its shadow remaining. The shadow then slid across the room and to the other side of the bed. The person reappeared before the bed, a scimitar in hand. "Say your prayers, Lord Inutaishou." He/she whispered loud enough to actually wake the inu youkai up. However, before the lord could say anything, the intruder raised the weapon and stabbed Inutaishou right through the heart. Sadly, Inutaishou could only witness his murderer's face before breathing his last breath._

'_Hah! I knew it. Even though you didn't like to fight against the humans, you are still not immune to the powers of a miko, which has covered the blade of the sword. This is too easy!' He/she took out a pen and paper from his/her clothing and wrote something. When he/she was finished, the person placed the paper next to the scimitar and nodded in satisfaction. 'Things will be very interesting indeed…' He/she chanted some indescribable words and with a huge grin, disappeared all together. _

_

* * *

Sesshoumaru woke up to someone's screaming. The door to his room suddenly opened, revealing a scared and shocked Jaken. "M-master Sesshoumaru! It's Lord Inutaishou. Something bad has happened to him!"_

_Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and without hesitation, he quickly left his room and ran to his fathers'. He froze, not believing what he was seeing. But it was all cruelly true. The lord of the western land is no more, murdered with a scimitar on his chest. 'No, this can't be true. Father can't be dead. No, he is too stubborn to die like this!' His thoughts were broken when he realized that someone was talking to him. He turned only to see a gloomy looking Naraku._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, I saw this note next to the blade. I'm afraid it's for you." _

_Sesshoumaru took the note from the youkai's hands and started to read the contents. His eyes narrowed dangerously._

'_Dear Seshoumaru,_

_Did you really think that I would ally myself to your disgusting kind? I think not! Your father was foolish enough to believe that the war would be over if he and I got into an agreement. It seems Izayoi did her part really well. Of course, you wouldn't be so willing as to accept so I used my daughter to get to you. I would never thought that it would be a success! Like father, like son, eh? Lowering your guard was the biggest mistake you've ever make and look where it got your father. I do hope he'll rest in pieces! Hahaha! Toodles!_

_Midoriko'_

_When Sesshoumaru finished reading, he immediately crumbled the paper. 'I can't believe this! How dare they lie and killed my father! Kikyou…how could you?' He looked at Naraku, eyes blank. "Naraku, I want you to find and destroy the bastard who did this. Preparations will be ready in a week's time. Get to it." His voice sent shivers to the people who were nearby. Sesshoumaru then turned to look at his dead father's body for the last time. 'I will avenge your death, father. Those traitorous humans will get their own medicine.'_

_**Two weeks later** _

_Inuyasha immediately went to the castle after hearing his father's demise. Just as he was about to get inside the building, his brother blocked his way. "Huh? Brother Sesshoumaru, why are you blocking the way? I wish to see father."_

_The older youkai stared at him with hatred burning in his eyes. "You are no longer allowed in here, hanyou. Naraku."_

_Before Inuyasha could do anything, the spider demon, which appeared behind him, struck him on the head, the hanyou fainting quickly. Sesshoumaru nodded his head towards his companion. _

"_You know what to do, Naraku." he said coldly._

_The red-eyed youkai bowed before teleporting himself somewhere else, with Inuyasha in tow._

_Just four days after the hanyou mysteriously disappeared, Midoriko was brutally murdered by no other than Naraku himself. And he made sure that everyone around him saw the deed, including Kikyou._

"…and that is why we are here in the first place. Trust between a demon and a human is almost impossible to see nowadays." Myouga finished.

"Wait. You mean to say I actually knew Kikyou? How come I don't remember all of these? You're not making it all up, are you?" The hanyou asked suspiciously.

"Of course not, Master Inuyasha! The only reason you don't remember is that Sesshoumaru erased your memories from before, only putting the memories of you hating him."

"Huh. And I would never thought that Sesshoumaru would actually fall in love to a human in the first place if not for what you said. Unbelievable."

The two were about to speak more when one of the walls in their prison opened up, revealing two soldiers. One of them pointed at Inuyasha. "You will need to come with us hanyou. It seems the elders have already decided what your punishment will be."

Inuyasha looked at Myouga who only shrugged. Knowing that he had no choice, he complied and followed the soldiers, leaving his mentor behind.

'This place looks more like a science lab than anything else.' Inuyasha thought, noting that his surrounding smelled of chemicals. The soldiers suddenly stopped in front of a huge door. They nodded to him, stating that inside was his final destination.

Inuyasha gulped a bit then opened the door. He was surprised to see the inside. It was just like a courtroom. On the high stand sat four old people and all of them wore a judge's clothing. The first one to the right was bald and had green eyes. The second had white short hair and brown eyes. The third one was the only female in the group, had long white hair, and crimson eyes. The fourth and last one had also long white hair but had light blue eyes instead. On the opposite sat six people, three of them in which the hanyou had already met to his dismay.

"Ah, Inuyasha. You finally came. It's good to finally see Inutaishou's youngest son in person. Please, have a seat." The first of the four spoke, wearing a friendly smile.

'What in the world is wrong with these people! They should be killing me right now and not be so…welcoming.' Nevertheless, he chose to do what the old man had asked him, sitting as far away from them as possible. There were only a few raised eyebrows to his odd actions.

"First of all, let us introduce ourselves. My name is Kushimi, the guy next to me is Arami, the woman over there is Sukimi, while the last one is Nigimi. Now, back to business, as you have been told already, we already have decided what your fate will be. Are you ready to hear it?"

Inuyasha only nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Alright then. Here it is. Actually, you get to choose." Kushimi coughed before continuing, reading a parcel before him. "Inuyasha Aruka, we sentenced you to a life of servitude to our army. At least until the war is over anyways. You'll be in command of a small unit of course. For most of the duration of this war, however, you'll be working along with Lady Kikyou. Either that or face the death penalty."

* * *

The same shadow that talked to Sesshoumaru before swept through the forest until it came to a lone, dark cave. The thing went inside where a bandaged body lay. The shadow stopped for a moment before overcoming the body. The body glowed, imitating an evil and dark aura. 'Soon, I will be reborn to this world once again. I will become ruler of this world and destroy those who will oppose me. With the power I received, no one will ever stand against me. Bwahahaha!'

* * *

A/N: There are some things to note in this chapter. First of all, Myouga is only telling the part where he was present so both he and Inuyasha are still clueless to the whole story. Second, Kikyou hates Inuyasha now for a reason. You'll find out in later chapter. Third, I'm making Inuyasha age like a human. Sesshoumaru meanwhile is 59 years older in human years but six years older in demon years. Does that make any sense? I hope so!


	6. A Betrayal Or Is It?

A/N: Um...I finally updated...? hehehe. runs away from angry reader

_italics-minor flashback

* * *

_

While the Eastern Army had put much of their effort in the war going for the defensive, Sesshoumaru had slowly increased his army one by one. He did this in secrecy, never allowing the enemy to suspect such event, which he thought would give him a great advantage in later battles. For the moment though, the inuyoukai has seated himself on the throne having a meeting with three of his generals. They were debating whether to go with their secret plan or not. 

"My lord, are you sure this plan will work out? Don't you think that this is a bit risky with certain factors involved?"

"When you said certain factors, did you mean Inuyasha? Don't worry about him though. I doubt that he would suspect anything with that stupid brain of his. Really, Kouga, you worry about such unimportant matters. It doesn't fit you at all."

Kouga growled, suddenly hostile towards his comrade for some reason. "Shut up, Naraku! I don't need such petty advice from you. Unlike you, I don't just throw myself to the enemy, which is rather idiotic of you to do. Maybe your brain is the size of that baka Inuyasha!!"

Naraku wasn't one to lose his temper easily, but when that last sentence came out from the wolf's mouth, his usually calm aura glowed crimson red just like his angry eyes. "Why you---!!"

"That's enough, the both of you. We are here to discuss the next plan, not to bicker with one another." Knowing that the meeting was going nowhere, Sesshoumaru immediately interfered with the heated conversation between the two demons. "It seems this war has put some pressure on the two of you. I'll see to it that you don't participate in the next battle." Not bothering to hear any replies or complaints, he continued on, his eyes now on the third demon who had the appearance of a fox. "Shippou, why don't you enlighten us with your opinion?"

The kitsune was the youngest of the generals and also the shortest. Even so, he was a talented tactician and won most battles with his guidance. He has a unique ability to transform to people or things. The only bad side about this is that his tail remains, making him recognizable both from the enemy and his allies.

"Well, I think we should wait for a while. Let the spy inform us on what has happened on the capital. Once a weakness has been spotted, then it will be the right time to strike." Shippou advised confidently.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I didn't know that a spy was dispatched to Regaian. Who is it this time?"

"Actually, my lord, I just recently recruited her. And what's more is that she is on the enemy's side, which is perfect for her to get certain information. A traitor to her kind I must say. She was for some reason a willing candidate."

One of the other two generals, who had been quiet for some time, had a surprise and rather weird look on his face. He chose to speak out his opinion on the unexpected news.

"You're letting a human work for us?! Just so you know, Shippou, we do not ever ally ourselves with any humans. Why in the world would you do such a thing…unless you are planning to betray us…" Naraku sneered, glaring accusingly at the shocked fox.

At this statement Kouga, whose eyes were closed in trying to calm his anger from earlier immediately opened and looked at Shippou questionably. Sesshoumaru was emotionless about the accusation though he stared intently at the tactician, patiently waiting to hear what the demon had to say to defend his doing.

"Just because we are at war with the humans doesn't mean that we can't use them for our own benefit, Naraku." Shippou calmly said after his shock subsided. He would have stopped there but decided to voice out an event he witnessed of a whispered conversation between Naraku and a certain person. "You of all people should very well know how they would help us. After all, you yourself have a human under your command." The kitsune would have smirk in triumph if not for the dangerously narrowed eyes of Naraku.

The spider demon would have quickly attack his comrade without a second thought but held the temptation down due to the fact that there were witnesses around. Instead, he looked back at Sesshoumaru and bowed. "I'm sorry my lord, but I have unfinished business to attend to. If you will excuse me…" Naraku then looked at Kouga and back at Shippou before quickly leaving the building without ever glancing back.

Silence engulfed the three occupants for a moment before Sesshoumaru finally spoke up. "It seems this meeting is done for today. Unfortunately, we haven't yet to decide what to do with the plan so we'll just have to delay our advancement. The two of you are dismissed."

Kouga did what he was told and left to do his own agenda. Shippou would have asked a question to his lord regarding Naraku and Kouga but decided against it and quickly left the room, his footsteps fading away into nothingness.

Sesshoumaru, who by now had stood up from his perch, pressed a button that was quite hidden on the armrest that only a few selected people knew about. An image of a hooded person suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. Modern technology specialists would have called the image a hologram.

"Good to see you in excellent health, my lord. Now, what is it that you want from me? I take it that it's something important, no?" The hooded figure asked.

Sesshoumaru merely looked at the figure with bored eyes before replying. "Yes, well I'd like you to do me a favor. Go and visit the place where my half-brother is…imprisoned. A certain sword lies in that place and I want you to fetch it for me without alerting anyone in sight. I take it that you can accomplish this task…?"

"Of course, Lord Sesshoumaru. You know well that it is my specialty. I'll be back in two days time with the sword in hand." The figure was about to dismiss himself when a rare emotion from the inuyoukai stopped his tracks. However, the moment dissipated as it had come so quickly that he almost didn't hear what his lord had to say next. Nodding dumbly, the figure eliminated his connection to his employer and immediately went to work, the scene stuck in his head for the rest of his life.

_"Oh, and one more thing. A certain person should be nearby. Say hi to her for me will you? A person by the name of Rin…" For the first time in many years, Sesshoumaru had a smile plastered on his face. A full, genuine smile that certainly reached his now soften eyes._

* * *

It had been a full two weeks since Kikyou captured Inuyasha and Myouga. The fact that the hanyou was still alive and well since the trial made it obvious as to what his decision was. Of course, this was not to say that the hanyou was excited about the ordeal he was assigned to considering that he had to work with a very angry miko. 

They were walking outside and well away of the city's walls and had just came upon a secluded area which was occupied by a medium-sized hut, a small river, and several standing dummies. Kikyou had by then created a barrier around the place so that no one with demon blood could get in or out. The two didn't notice that two curious females were watching them. Or at least one of them didn't notice.

"So Sango, what do you think they are talking about?" Kagome whispered. Her companion couldn't help but sweatdropped.

"Um, Kagome? Their mouths aren't even moving so how am I suppose to know. I can't exactly mind read, you know." The girl replied back.

"Is that so…well then, we'll just have to force those two to talk. Let's see…" Kagome silently looked around her surroundings trying to find something when her eyes fell upon a rock. A rock that was the right size for throwing at someone without killing them and/or injuring them too much. The girl suddenly gave a grin and mischief had covered her eyes. She reached for the rock and held it on her right hand, getting ready to commence her intended plan.

"What do you think you are doing? Don't tell me you are planning to hit one of them with that?" Sango now had shock and horror plastered on her face. Hitting Inuyasha would be of no consequences but if Kagome was to hit Kikyou…

When Kagome saw the expression radiated from her friend's face, she gave a sigh. "Just calm down, Sango. Its not like I'm going to miss or anything. I'm not her apprentice for nothing. Now just sit down, be quiet, and enjoy the show." Reassuring Sango that everything will be fine, Kagome effortlessly threw the rock to the unsuspecting Inuyasha.

Meanwhile, both miko and hanyou were now examining the place from top to bottom though the male had more curiosity in him than the female. They weren't facing each other so when Inuyasha was hit on the head with the rock-which he caught by reflex-, he immediately assumed that Kikyou threw it.

"Ow! What in the world is wrong with you, woman?! And why a rock?" An aggravated Inuyasha shouted and turned around, giving Kikyou a death glare, which the woman calmly ignored. The rock was held on his right palm and a small bump could be seen on his head.

"I have no idea what you are talking about though I don't know why I'm even listening to your nonsense. In fact, I don't even know why I'm talking to you and letting you live in the first place." Kikyou coldly said to the hanyou. "However, since it is the elder's wishes that you stay alive…Anyways, this is where you will stay in. For how long I know not. You will be trained to be a much more experienced warrior and be more adapted to your surroundings. As for your---"

"Keh! Like I need another person to order me around. I can do fine thank you very much. And don't change the subject!"

"---trainer, that is to be also to be decided as well. Hopefully, it would not be me." Much to Inuyasha's displeasure, the miko only continued where she left off, completely ignoring what the hanyou said. "Oh, and before I forget, you will be required to change your appearance. You are fighting with us now so it would be best if you are in human form. Don't want to be labeled as an enemy for your current appearance, now do we? I mean, you are after all a pathetic sad excuse of a hanyou whose powers can't even match of that of a human."

Inuyasha truly had tried his best to not be affected by the woman's statement. He gritted his teeth and closed his hands into a knuckle, trying to suppress the anger caged inside him. Alas, it wasn't enough in which wounded pride led him to attack the miko once again though this time without a weapon. Again he would lose.

Kikyou easily sidestepped from the attack causing the hanyou to almost fall flat on his face. Fortunately for him, he was able to land on his two feet and turned around to attack but had the surprise of his life. Usually Kikyou would distance herself from Inuyasha but this time she was in front of him, the closest distance she would make for him. Not only was Inuyasha stunned but confused as well. For some strange reason, he suddenly lost his anger and his interest in attacking the miko. Instead an urge for hugging and kissing her was the new emotion that filled him up.

"It seems we need to work on your temper too." She stepped back and chanted something. Before long, her right hand glowed into a purplish-pinkish light and held the index and middle finger to Inuyasha's forehead. Instantly, the hanyou closed his eyes and fell unconscious on the ground. The miko looked at the sleeping Inuyasha for a minute before laying her eyes the two girls who had gotten out of their hiding.

"Both of you can come out now. Really, where are your manners?"

"Sorry. We didn't want to intrude…Wait, so you knew that we were here?" Kagome asked. She and Sango walked carefully to Kikyou.

Kikyou raised an eyebrow before replying. "The two of you should know I can detect one's presence especially if they are near. Have you been negligent on your training, Kagome?"

"Me? Oh no. Not me. In fact, Sango and I would have rushed to your aid when he attacked you. But seems you beat us to it." The girl sheepishly grinned.

Sango, who had then kneeled down, poked Inuyasha on the head and looked up to her senior. "So what are you going to do about him? I don't think you want to be near him when he wakes up. He seems to hate you with passion."

The older female nodded and was about to say something when two men suddenly came running towards them. When they stopped, they were sweating and gasping for breathe. Kikyou frowned. 'I sense blood…' "What's wrong, soldier? Has something bad happened to the city?"

"We are being attack, my lady! We have come for your help!"

Kagome stared at the two, confused. "But how? We didn't sensed any demons and if we did, we would have warned you guys."

The second man spoke for the first who was obviously too scared to even open his mouth. " It's not demons though. Those blasted mercenaries had turned against us!"

"WHAT?!" Both Sango and Kagome shouted at the same time.

"Well, what are we doing here for? We have a city and people to save! Quick Sango. Teleport us back! You two stay here and watch Inuyasha." Kagome commanded.

"Wait. There is one thing you should know before going." The man said and gulped before continuing. "It is not just the mercenaries. Our allies have betrayed us as well."

"Tell me. Who are leading them?" Kikyou, who had been quiet, asked. For some odd reason, she was afraid of the answer and suddenly regretted asking.

The man looked at the miko then at the demon slayer. He gave her a sympathetic gaze before replying. "The traitors are being led by Lady Rin and Lord Kohaku."

* * *

Somewhere on a cliff that jutted out and had a perfect view of the city stood four figures. The appearances were of four beasts: a black-stripped white tiger, a gray wolf, a phoenix, and a brown bear. The tiger was the first to speak. 

"And so it finally begins. I wonder what would Lord Inutaishou and Lady Midoriko think of us now?"

"Well, let's just hope that everything goes according to plan and I mean everything. I can't stand screwing up twice you know?" The phoenix said. All three of its companions laughed.

The wolf was to speak next. "She's right though. If we're cursed to live this long, then we better make sure this land reunites with them as rulers."

"Right. Well then, we should get ourselves going as well. We can't be late for the you-know-what, now can we?" The wolf grinned before howling. The wind suddenly blew and a dark hole appeared on the cliff.

All four occupants disappeared into the darkness.


End file.
